Can carrier



J. DI DOMENICO ETAL 3,199,909

CAN CARRIER A Aug. 1o, 1965 Filed Nov. 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ffy-' l kw/VV y da@ f www .Aug 10, 1955 J. Dl DOMENICO ETAL 3,199,909

CAN CARRIER Filed Nov. 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l u '1L |lll .f2 56 62| 60 :DE-:IDD

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In mentors: Joseph z' owzezco, Haal' jVeZZz'wz,

United States Patent() 3,199,909 CAN CAREER .ioseph Di Domenico and Frank Mellion, Providence, RJ.,

assignors to Eer-Dee torp., Providence, RJ., a corporation of Rhode island Filed Nov. 5, 1962, Ser. N 235,468 1 Claim. (Cl. 294-572) The present invention relates to a can carrier. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for carrying a plurality of liquid filled cans and is adapted to be secured to the uppermost ends of the cans, thereby eliminating the need for a carton-type carrier.

Carriers for canned beverages, such as beer and soft drinks, have heretofore been normally constructed in carton form and as such require special machinery for packaging the cans in predetermined quantities. ln recent years, the so-called six pack has become a popular form of packaging since it enables the consumer to buy a minimum quantity of cans in a package that is readily carried. However, even the packaging of cans in the six-pack carton required special machinery and the use of cardboard material that had to be printed for advertising purposes.

Some efforts have been made recently to eliminate the use of the cardboard or paper-type package in the smallquantity units such as six packs, these recent packaging devices being in the form of plastic strip carriers that were preformed to engage the chines or beaded edges of the cans in gripping relation. This type of carrier has rnet with some commercial success although some difficulties have been experienced in assembling the cans with the carrier, removing the cans from the carrier, and stacking the packaged cans in storage.

The present invention represents an innovation in the cartonless type of carrier and is adapted to package six liquid-filled cans with a minimum of manufacturing expense. The carrier embodied herein is unique in that it includes a plurality of spaced parallel arms, each of which extends over the upper surface of oppositely disposed cans. This provides for easy stacking of the packaged cans, and since the carrier is formed with opposed depending flanges that grip the upper chines or beaded edges of the can, the cans may be simply assembled to the carrier and removed therefrom bythe consumer. As is generally known in carriers of this type, finger grips are provided between clusters of the cans so as to enable the carrier with the cans attached thereto to be easily lifted and transported from one location to another.

The carrier of the present invention is moreover molded as a unitary construction from a plastic material that inherently has some resilient properties. The resiliency of the material from which the carrier is molded thereby provides for the depending flanges of the carrier to securely grip the beaded edges of the cans for the securernent of the cans to the carrier.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device for carrying a plurality of cans by secure- `ment of the cans to pairs of-depending fianges formed as an integral part of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carrier for cans which includes a plurality of parallel arms, the arms being adapted to extend over pairs of adjacent cans for securement to the annular bead formed on the upper edges thereof.

Still another object is to provide a carrier for liquidfilled cans that includes a plurality of arms, each of which is formed with pairs of depending flanges, each pair of flanges including shoulders that are adapted to engage the uppermost bead of a can for securng the can to the carrier.

Still another object is to provide a can carrier that is ICC molded as an integral unit from a plastic material and that includes depending fianges that are adapted to grip the upper edges of cans, the material from which the carrier is formed providing for firm gripping action of the flanges on the can beaded edges.

Still another object is to provide a can carrier that is formed with a plurality of spaced parallel arms, each of the arms extending over the uppermost surface of a pair of adiacent cans, and thereby enabling the carriers with cans attached thereto to be easily stacked or stored.

Other obiects, features and advantages of the invention will become obvious as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FG. l is a front elevational view of the carrier embodied herein with a plurality of cans attached thereto, the users hand being illustrated in dotted lines in the position of carrying the carrier, and a second carrier with cans attached being also shown in dotted lines for illustrating the stacking principle of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the carrier embodied herein, the cans to be attached to the carrier being illustrated in dotted lines;

FlG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 33 in FIG. 4;

Fi'G. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4 4 in FlG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the depending flange of the carrier and the manner in which the shoulder formed therein engages the underside of a can attached to the carrier;

FiG. 6 is a sectional View of the carrier with cans attached thereto shown in elevation and illustrating the position of the cans when the carrier is lifted from the rest position;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a modified form of the carrier; and

FlG. 8 is a sectional view taken along lines 3 8 in FiG. 7.

Referring now to the drawingsand particularly FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the carrier embodied herein is generally indicated at it? and for purposes of the description of this invention is adapted to have a plurality of liquid-'filled cans secured thereto for transfer of the cans as a unit from one location to another. It is understood that containers other than cans may be secured to the carrier without departing from the spirit of the invention, although, as will be observed hereinafter, any container that is utilized for securement to the container it) must be provided with an annular chine or beaded edge at the upper edge thereof. It will also be observed that the carrier lil is designed to carry six cans as a unit therewith. Although the carrier it) is illustrated and described for carrying six cans, it will be further understood that the carrier can be modified to include more or less cans as desired. However, in accordance with the practice of the invention as described, only an even number of cans or containers will oe attached to the carrier.

The carrier if? is preferably molded of a plastic material and as such is relatively inexpensive in the manufacture thereof. Any suitable plastic material may be utilized in the formation of the carrier lil, the only requirement of the plastic material being that it is sufficiently rigid to resist deformation of the carrier in use and that it be sufficiently flexible so as to permit some flexing movement with respect to the gripping elements of the carrier, as ywill be described hereinafter.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 in particular, the carrier l@ as illustrated includes three parallel and spaced arms 12, 14 and 16 that extend in a direction that is generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the carrier. As shown, the arms 12, 14 and 16 are substantially identical in construction and each includes marginal edges 13 and 2t) and transverse reinforcing ribs 22 and 24. A central reinforcing rib 26 is also provided for each of the arms 12, 14 and 16, as well as endmost ribs 2S, and 30. As will be described, the central rib 26 and the endmost ribs 28 and 30 are provided with depending flanges that define the gripping elements for the arms and that are adapted to receive the cans for the attachment thereof to the carrier. It is seen that the various marginal edges and reinforcing ribs that define each of the arms form a skeleton structure for each arm, this construction being relatively inexpensive since less material is utilized in the construction of the carrier. Y

Interconnecting the arms 12 and 14 is a connecting portion 32 that is joined to the arms 12 and 14 intermediate the ends thereof. The connecting portion 32 is defined by a reduced neck section 34 joined to the arm 12 and neck section 36 joined to the arm 14. Integrally joined to the neck sections 34 and 36 is a central enlarged section 38 that is formed with an opening 40 therein. The opening 4f) defines a finger hole and cooperates with a similar opening to be described for enabling the user of the carrier to lift the carrier when the cans are attached thereto. A connecting portion 42 similar to connecting portion 32 joins the arms 14 and 16 and also includes reduced neck sections 44 and 46 and enlarged central section 48 in which an opening Stlris formed. As described just above, the opening or hole 50 cooperates with the opening 40 to define finger holes that are used in the lifting of the carrier. The transverse ribs 22 and 24 are also designed to engage the top of the can over which they lie and therefore act to effectively reinforce the caryrier when it is loaded with the cans. Although not shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, normally the top of each can will be bowed upwardly sufficiently so that the ribs 22 and 24 will make contact therewith when the cans are mounted on the carrier. In those Ycases where the top of the container is recessed with respect to the upper beaded edge thereof, the ribs 22 and 24 are molded somewhat thicker so as to extend downwardly below the upper edge of the container and into intimate contact with the recessed upper surface of the cans.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the arms is shown including two pairs of gripping elements to which the cans are adapted to be attached. Each pair of grippingelements is defined by a depending flange that depends from the outer ribs 28 and 30 and the central rib 26. As shown in FIG. 4, the outer rib 28 defines the uppermost edge of a depending flangel 52, the innermost portion of which is formed with a shoulder 54 thereon. Formed on the opposite end of each arm and depending below the rib 31) and formed as an integral part thereof is a de'- pending flange 56, on the innermost edge of which a shoulder 58 is formed. Each of the arms is adapted to carry a pair of cams, and, accordingly, a pair of the depending flanges is necessary for engaging a cam. For thisfpurpose, central reinforcing rib 26 is provided with a double depending ange 60, 62, as illustrated in FIG. 4, these flanges being formed integral with the rib v26 and being further formed with inner shoulders 64 and 66, respectively.

Since it is necessary that the various depending anges as described have some flexibility in order to securely clamp the beaded edge of a can to the carrier, each of the flanges includes kan area that is somewhat reduced in cross section so as to provide for the flexibility required. In FIG. 5, depending flange S6 is illustrated, and it will be noted that tapered surface 68 is provided that reduces the cross sectional dimension of the flange S6 with respect to the shoulder 58, The flange 56 thus has some tiexibility of movement, andyas will be described, this flexibility of movement enables the flange 56 to snap into engaging relation on the underside of a beaded edge or chine of a can. Each of the depending auges is also arcuate in configuration so that the shoulders formed therein conform to the annular construction of the cans that are attached to the carrier. The arcuate configuration of the flanges is shown more clearly in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

As described hereinabove, liquid carrying cans are adapted to be attached to the carrier 110. In'the normal construction of liquid-filled cans such as those cans used for beer and soft drinks, the cans are sealed kat the outer ends thereof by a chine or beaded edge. Referringl to FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, each of the cans is indicated at v70, and each can includes an upper chine or beaded edge 72 and a lower chine or beaded edge 74. The spaced-apart flanges of the arms of the carrier are located such that the beaded edge 72 of each can will be received by the shoulders of the flanges. Thus as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the shoulders 58 and 66 receive the beaded edge or chine 72 of a can 70. Similarly, the shoulders 54 and 64 formed 0n the anges 52 and 60 receive beaded edge 72 of the adjacent can. Since the iianges formed on the arms are capable of a flexing movement, the flanges lare snapped over the beaded edges of the cans and lockthereunder, ,thereby securing the cans to the arms of the carrier. The particular relationship of they beaded edge 72 with respect to flange 56 and the shoulder 58 formed therein is illustrated in FIG. 5. Although the present invention is described for use withcans wherein the upper end thereof is of a relatively large diameter, it is understood that the carrier may be modified to carry containers having relatively small diameter tops. Sodaand beer bottles are examples ofthis kind of container. In the event that a container having a small diameter top is to be carried,-the gripping elements of the carrier 1d would be molded in spaced relation to conform to the size of the container. In the case of sodaor beer bottles, it will be understood that the gripping elements would be molded in substantially closer relation in comparison to the arrangement illustrated in the drawings herein. v

In the normal construction of the carrier I0, a cluster of six cans is adapted to be secured thereto since it has been found that this is the more salable quantity of cans; and, moreover, the construction of the carrier limitsk the weight of the cans and the contents thereof that must be supported from the carrier. When the carrier Vis lifted with the cansattached thereto, rthe physical construction of thecans and the proximity thereof to each other facilitates handling of the carrier. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 6, when the carrier is lifted, the lower beaded edges 74 of the cans tend to swing into contact with each other due to the depending weight of the cans. This in effect stabilizes the carrier and `permits the cans to be carried as a unit and without the free swinging thereof;

It will be seen that the arms 12, I4 and 16 of the carrier extend completely across theupperrnost ends of pairs of cans that are located in adjacent relation when they are attached to the carrier. This construction not only provides a more stable carrier for supporting the weight of the cans attached thereto, but furthermore enables the units to be easily stacked in vertical relation. Referring again to FIG. 1, this principle is more clearly shown, the uppermost of the unitsv being shown located in stacked relation with respect to the lowermost of the'units. The carrier, in effect, acts as a separating or supporting member for the cans and permits the assembled units to be easily stacked for storage or shipment. Removal of the assembled units is easily accomplished by merely grasplng the carrier by means of the fingerl grips and` removing the assembled units-to any location as desired. Upon sale of a carrier with the cans attached thereto, thecustomer may easily carry the assembled unit, and it .is seen that storage in a refrigeratory or the like does not require the removal` of the cans from the carrier. can is used, it is removed fromthe carrier, the remaining cans being attached to the carrier and then removed therefrom as needed.

As eachV individual v Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, a modiiied form of the invention is illustrated wherein additional reinforcing ribs are interconnected to the carrier arms for increasing the strength thereof. As shown in FIG. 7, continuously extending ribs S0 and 82 are integrally molded to the arms 12, i4 and le adjacent the outer ends thereof. The ribs 3i? and 82, in eiicct, replace the ribs Z2 and 24 described above and serve not only to reinforce each arm, but further cause the entire carrier construction to be more stable. As will be noted, the ribs ti, d2 are located more closely adjacent the outer ends oi the arms than the ribs 22, 24 and thus act to reduce the deflections that tend to occur in the arms when the carrier is lifted with the cans attached thereto. As described above in connection with the ribs 22, 2d, the portions of the ribs Sii,

82 that are formed as part of the arms are adapted to engage the bowed tops of the cans over which they lie, wherein the cans are more effectively and securely retained in the engaged position thereof. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the gripping elements and finger holes are formed similarly to those described above, and it is apparent that these elements will also function in the same manner as previously described.

While there is shown and described herein certain specie structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a carrier for carrying cans that have an annular beaded edge formed on at least one end thereof, a onepiece skeleton-like member molded of a plastic material n "vl and including a plurality of spaced, parallel arms, each of which is dened by laterally extending, spaced, parallel ribs, each of said arms including two pairs of spaced, depending arcuate shaped gripping elements, an outer depending gripping element oi each pair being located adjacent to the outermost ends of each arm, and having an arcuate shaped shoulder termed thereon, an intermediate portion connecting the ribs of each arm and including a depending portion on which are formed a pair of inner gripping elements having arcuate shaped shoulders that cooperate with said outer gripping elements to retain cans therebetween, connecting portions joining said spaced, parallel arms intermediate the ends thereof and in aligned relation with respect to said depending portions and there by cooperating with said depending portions to reinforce the skeleton-like member, said connecting portions including generally circular rib-like portions that define inger openings for said carrier, and reinforcing ribs joining said parallel arms adjacent to the outer ends thereof, said reinforcing ribs extending in a direction generally perpendicular to said arms and overlying the upper surfaces of the cans that are secured between said pairs of gripping elements.

Reerences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,680,040 6/54 Gribskov et al 294-872 2,709,619 5/55 Melville 294-8728 2,946,621 7/60 Williamson 294-8728 3,036,853 5/62 Glazer 294--872 3,084,792 4/63 Poupitch 294-872 ROBERT B. REEVES, Acting Primary Examiner.

Examiners. 

